So cornerback Brandon Carr said the Cowboys have let go of the first four games and returned Monday after their bye focused on the second quarter of the season, which arguably features the toughest stretch of the year, with three of the next four on the road.

"Guys are just eager to get out there and to have fun, just to get out there and mix it up a little bit," Carr said Monday.

Ratliff's returnThe best news coming out of last week's bye is that Pro Bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff and a number of other injured defenders are ready to return.

The others include linebacker Anthony Spencer, who missed the Chicago Bears game with a strained pectoral muscle, and defensive end Kenyon Coleman, who missed the past two games with a hyperextended knee.